Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed Iran's vision for a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict in Iran to U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a report from Russian state media on Saturday. This report follows Trump's announcement that Russia will supply diesel to the global market amid rising energy prices attributed to the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency stating that Putin communicated the message to Trump "in agreement with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian." Other reports indicated that Putin and Trump spoke by phone after Putin's meeting with Pezeshkian at a summit in Turkmenistan.
Interfax did not provide details on how Iran envisions the conclusion of the war, which began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets. The White House has not yet responded to requests for confirmation regarding the reported conversation between Putin and Trump.
Trump mentioned on Friday that Russia would supply over 4 million tons of diesel to the global market, a deal he claimed to have reached with Putin during a phone call. According to Trump, Russia will initially supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November, and 1 million tons thereafter, with an additional 3 million tons contingent on the status of Russia's refineries. The U.S. Treasury Department has temporarily waived sanctions on Russian diesel through April 2027 under a general license issued on Friday.
Iran has intensified its attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with reports of vessels coming under fire almost daily as Iran seeks to disrupt a rebound in crude exports. A senior official from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated that Iran would block all "illicit routes" through Hormuz, as reported by the Fars News Agency.
The increase in attacks on tankers coincides with a rebound in crude oil exports from the Middle East to prewar levels in September, partly due to U.S. military escorts for ships in the region. An interim agreement signed in June between the U.S. and Iran to halt hostilities for negotiations quickly deteriorated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Trump's diesel agreement with Putin, warning that easing sanctions without a commitment from Russia to de-escalate the conflict would only prolong it. Zelenskyy stated, "Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged."
Diesel prices have surged globally as Ukraine has targeted Russian refineries, leading Moscow to ban diesel exports. Iran and its Houthi allies have also attacked refineries in the Middle East, further limiting fuel supplies. Trump faces increasing political pressure to reduce fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections, particularly in conservative areas like Iowa, where high diesel prices are affecting farmers.